RHYTHM SECTION

Players are in the winning groove under Cal

These players are all singing from the same hymn sheet.

And to take a line from Lonestar’s famous power ballad ‘Amazed’: “It just keeps getting better”.

It can go one step further on Sunday if St Johnstone can defeat St Mirren at Hampden to book a place in the final of the Scottish Cup.

A League Cup win and top six finish are already in the bank for what has become an unravelling success story in Perth.

Many factors have joined together to allow this. But David Wotherspoon was quick to turn the spotlight in the direction of manager Callum Davidson who, remember, is still in his debut season. It really has been a remarkable introduction to management.

Now a time when manager of the year nominations and suggestions are thrown about, Wotherspoon would be taken aback if Davidson was not a frontrunner.

“I would have thought he has to be in with a shout for manager of the year,” the 31-year-old said.

“I’d be disappointed if he wasn’t for how well he has done in his first season. He should be up there in the nominations.

“We lost Tommy Wright at the end of last season and had the change with the new gaffer coming in.

“For him to do what he’s done is remarkable. I’m sure I speak for the boys when I say we’ve loved it, the training and how we play.

“The coaching staff have been really good. They all know each other so well and work well together as a team.

“We had a slow start to the season but I think that was just adjusting to a different style of play. We still had the belief.

“It has been a great season and we don’t want it to end. I am just massively proud of the team and everyone involved.”

Saints, increasingly becoming the pride of Perth, are in with a realistic shout of completing an unthinkable cup double.

Wotherspoon smiles but knows the old cliché of one game at a time has never been more important.

“There is always going to be pressure in a cup semi-final, no matter what the situation is,” Wotherspoon adds.

“We want our season to continue and get as much success as possible.

“European football has been talked and thought about. But in my opinion it goes to the back of your mind when Sunday comes around.

“You are just focused on the game in hand to get that result to take you into the final of the Scottish Cup.

“We’re looking forward to another trip to Hampden. That is just great for us as players and the club.

“We’ll go into the game with the same mindset as every other game. There is obviously a lot at stake but we’ve just got to continue to do what we’ve been doing. As long as we perform to the best we can, we have a great chance.

“We’re in a good run of form at the moment. But we know it’s a one-off game.

“Hampden is somewhere everyone wants to play. I love it every single time I play there. It’s a great stadium and venue.”

Last four opponents St Mirren will no doubt be hurting from being edged out of the top six and suffering a narrow defeat in the semi-final of the League Cup.

“They have done so well, getting to the League Cup semi-final and just missing out on top six,” Wotherspoon told the PA.

“They will be desperate to do well. But our job is to stop them doing that and to get ourselves into the final instead.”

As has been the case all season, Perth fans will have to settle for watching the game from the comfort of their own homes.

Coronavirus restrictions mean crowds are still unable to attend in person.

Wotherspoon continues to feel for them, especially missing out on a season of remarkable success. He still feels the support, though.

He said: “Again it’s disappointing not to have the fans there. I know they’ll be watching on wishing they were in the stands to cheer us on.

“We’ve loved their support, even when they haven’t been there.

“They have supported us from home and we really appreciate that.

“We know how much it all means to them. So we want to bring as much success to the club as possible.”

And there is a hope that, when life does return to normality, what has been achieved this year will have had the power to inspire more people from the city to attend matches.

“We would love to see as many down at McDiarmid Park as possible when that is allowed,” Wotherspoon said.

“I’ve seen the crowds at their best - cup finals and European nights - and it’s just a tremendous atmosphere.

“If we can get some part of that to games in the future, it would be brilliant. We hope to see everyone back soon.”

It has been a great season and we don’t want it to end